BAD FOR BATS: Two years ago, state officials closed the caves at Maquoketa Caves State Park in hopes of protecting hundreds of bats from exposure to the deadly white-nose syndrome that is spreading across the country. The caves are open this year, but the fungus that causes the disease recently was found on a bat there. Sadly, scientists expect the disease to turn up in Iowa sooner than later.

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SO DRY: Four years ago, the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor was slogging through June’s historic floodwaters. Now, Eastern Iowa and much of the state is parched and was hoping for much-needed widespread rainfall over the weekend. It will take several rain events over the next week or two to catch us up and save fields of crops.

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LANDFILL WOES: More bad Iowa City Landfill news — the city’s insurance policy does not appear to cover the landfill property, where a fire has been burning since May 26 and is expected to cause at least $4 million in damages. Why not?